Full Voices: American Sounds

The season concludes with a program that celebrates the richness and diversity of the choral tradition through two extraordinary twentieth-century masterworks. At its heart is Steve Dobrogosz’s jazz-influenced Mass, an intimate and deeply expressive setting that blends lush string writing, soaring melodies, and subtle jazz harmonies into a work that is at once thoughtful, provocative, and profoundly moving. Paired with it is R. Nathaniel Dett’s monumental The Chariot Jubilee, considered the first symphonic work built entirely on African American spirituals. This exhilarating fifteen-minute work weaves together scripture, folklore, and beloved spiritual melodies into a sweeping musical journey that moves from quiet reflection to triumphant celebration. Alongside works by Aaron Copland, Richard Smallwood, Rob Dietz, Ryan Murphy, and others, the program explores faith, hope, community, and the enduring power of music to inspire and unite.